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il vecchio

4.0 (1.7k reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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il vecchio Reservations

Order il vecchio Takeout or Delivery

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IL VECCHIO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

Recommended Reviews - il vecchio

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Reviews With Photos

Dom N.

Today, I'm right back in Pacific Grove. Where I grew up, on the Peninsula. They know what day it is, it's the day before Saint Patrick's Day. I skipped the Irish pub, and I felt like doing some more Italian American cuisine. I'm here at il vecchio, this Monday evening. I knew it was going to be good, when I saw them Rolling the Pasta out fresh at the front. Today, I wanted to do a Bucatini Cacio E Pepe Pasta with Grilled Chicken thigh, Pecorino, Black Pepper, and Cream Sauce. From what I know, Black Pepper makes every Cream Sauce better, it gives it that Peppery Smokiness. This the only way. I think this was one of the best Pasta I've had so far. The Chicken was seasoned and Grilled to perfection. The Pasta was cooked just how I like it, Al dente. I really like this style of Pasta, I think I never had Pasta like this before, it's like Spaghetti, but in thick strands, it gives it that rustic element to it. The Sauce was so luscious, and velvety. It was Executed, and put together so well. I was thinking this was going to be a 3.9-4.4 stars, I was going to give it a 4.4/4.5 stars, but this feels like a 4.6 stars, so I'm going to give this 4.6 stars out of 5 stars. That's a high score. I enjoyed my meal. It was some solid, and delicious Pasta. I'm satisfied.

Tonnarelli Carbonara with the poached egg already broken by me.
Daniel S.

The Tonnarelli Carbonara was good, just good. I think it needed more cheese melded into the yolk dressing preparation. The tiramisu was tasty! ...for what it was. But I like my tiramisu to have a strong coffee presence and here, that was completely overwhelmed.

Bread
Kayla B.

family chose this place on a whim and glad they did. Great space in PG with homemade pasta that really is delicious. The butternut squash risotto is also very good. Rice perfectly cooked, no mush and good flavour. Did need a bit of salt to bring out the flavour all the way but that's just personal preference. We added a chicken thigh which came on the side and is the same no matter what dish you order (parents split a different dish and their chicken was identical) but perfectly cooked, not dry at all and really is seasoned well to serve as a basic addition to any entree which i appreciate. Only regret I have is getting the honey glazed carrots as they were not very "honey glazed", just butter carrots really. Wish they were sweeter or had more flavour.

Sarah L.

A family stable whenever we come to Monterey. The food and service here never disappoint. There's a lot of parking spaces and online reservation helps skip the wait time.

Ben T.

Been here a couple times now, and each time I left really happy with the experience. The food is good, and I leave stuffed. Absolutely filled to the gills with food. We've tried numerous pastas, salads, mains, and sides, and most of them were thought of highly by our party. The people working here are great, and we found some new wine we liked as a result of their helpfulness. They also have live music on certain nights, adding to the vibes. I'll keep coming back.

Rebecca T.

Food was immaculate. Service was fast paced but we never felt rushed. The server was beyond kind. Our water glass was never left empty. We were checked on several times. There was live music playing which added to the ambiance. They had a lovely bar area and beautiful local artwork by the booths. The recommendations were authentic and not forced. The descriptions were on point on how the food would look and taste.

Sandra R.

I find it challenging to give a negative review to a restaurant that serves excellent food, but I believe client connection is essential. Our dinner cost $230.00, including tip, and unfortunately, the service fell short. The server took my credit card without a word, and as we left (the manager/hostess) saw us depart, she didn't say anything. (in my opinion establishments of this caliber at least express gratitude to their customers) The ambiance is indeed relaxed and beautifully curated, which makes the staff's lack of effort to make patrons feel valued all the more disappointing. Due to the staff's seeming indifference, I wouldn't recommend this location.

Gnocchi
Jessica M.

Cute Italian restaurant with good food and good service! We ordered: Burrata: delicious! The bread was nicely toasted, the tomatoes were sweet and the jelly things on top added a nice addition of flavor. All the flavors mixed really well. Artichoke: they were nicely fried and not too oily. It came with three delicious sauces. The lemon aioli was our favorite but they were all good. The pesto tastes really fresh. Pesto gnocchi: this was OK. The sausage it came with seemed out of place, not the greatest. Chicken Marsala: the chicken was so tender and juicy. The flavors were delicious! The mash potatoes were simple but good. It comes in a hot cast iron which is a great touch. Vanilla gelato: delicious! It comes with chunks of biscotti which were a nice addition. And caramel sauce which was not too sweet but great flavor. The Italian soda wasn't great, not much flavor or carbonation. It is close to cannery row and other attractions. There were plenty of parking spaces on the street. Overall, I recommend and would come back.

Bread service
Kikue H.

Grabbed a last minute reservation here showed up half an hour early and they still sat us! So major props to the staff for that. We got the bread service which was a great way to start the meal. The olives were beautifully brined, sour and salty, and the oil they were in was great with the bread too! All the ingredients just tasted high quality, especially the olive oil. I got the spicy squid ink scampi which was such a treat. The sauce was creamy and flavorful and the noodles were firm and salty. The portion size made it well worth the price, tons of noodles and six HUGE shrimp. Felt like I got my money's worth. Also grabbed the fortuna (peach mule) and that was so yummy yummy yummy. Bartender's rent was DUE Servers were very attentive and cheerful, they were happy to have a chat and lots of smiles. Made for very good vibes!

lamb pappardelle
Madeline K.

il vecchio had some solid food, but the service really held the experience back. The highlights were the caprese burrata and the tiramisu, both of which were excellent. The crab arancini had a decent amount of crab, which was nice, and the pasta portions were a good size. That said, the service was extremely slow. It took over 20 minutes just to get water. Because of the long wait times, the overall experience didn't quite match the quality of the food

Gelato
Nicole P.

The clam chowder was delicious, had a rich and creamy flavor, didn't feel heavy on the belly, the burrata salad was actually one of my favorites, definitely worth trying. The gelato was a bit grainy but not overdone and had a home-made taste, was delightful. At first the service seem seemed to need a little work -- we were ignored for quite a long while after being seated and when requested water inquiring politely who our server was from a male server who then in passing whispered something to a female server. She then greeted us and had somewhat of an annoyed attitude and did not come back leaving us waiting for a longer period of time. However, another man served us and he was very pleasant and made the experience exceptional (we truly appreciated it). Overall a nice experience as we listened to live music by a guitarist named Dan. Great ambiance, comfortable seating, and the food was good. It can get a bit noisy while busy but isn't overwhelming, and you might want to wear a light sweater during the evenings. Definitely a lovely place to dine with family and friends.

Kylie L.

I went to this place last April with my friend and we are constantly talking about how good it was. The inside has ambient lighting, there was live music and the service was wonderful. such a cozy little spot where we enjoyed the most delicious and comforting pasta. We will be back soon!

Spaghetti and meatballs
Heather M.

What a wonderful evening at this cozy neighborhood gem. Not my neighborhood, mind you, but a lovely neighborhood. A neighborhood I could easily live in but for the multimillions necessary. Back to the food, Il Vecchio knows what it's doing. The entrées were exceptionally detailed in their descriptions and the food wowed. Even spaghetti and meatballs was surprisingly elevated. I had the mushroom and sausage Orecchiette and it was sublime, smooth and enormously satisfying. The surprise of the night was the Botticelli cocktail and the burrata appetizer with micro basil, grilled tomatoes and balsamic pearls. There was confusion among the wait staff when our original waiter said he was released due to it being slow. It suddenly got busy. But we were assigned a new waiter. If he had been just slightly more attentive, this review would be five stars.

Osso buco gnocchi - $28

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10 days ago

Will definitely be returning!! Authentic food, such kind service, and good energy. Can't wait til we visit again

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28 days ago

Food was great! Service was excellent and the vibe was lively considering version and good fun!

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il vecchio Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - il vecchio

Do you still have Brunch on Sundays?

We have Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays 8 am to 2 pm! Come on by we would love to have you!

Do you offer gluten-free options?

Yes! We have many gluten free options, although we do not offer gluten free pasta. Our gluten free offerings are clearly marked on our menu as g-f.… Read more

Why can I no longer order take out on weekends?

We just ended an anniversary special with 2012 prices for the month of July. When we are that busy we are unable to offer take out. Presently we are putting out a new menu with permanently lowered prices. If you would like take out on the… Read more

Good evening, do you offer outdoor seating?

yes, they do.

Do you serve pizza for lunch?

Hi! No we don’t serve pizza for lunch. Dinner only. Thank you for asking!

View All 6 Questions

Beach House Restaurant + Bar @ Lovers Point - Roasted Airline Chicken Breast

Beach House Restaurant + Bar @ Lovers Point

(1.1k reviews)

$$$

The beach house at lovers point has a phenomenal view!…read more Upon arrival the GM Axel promptly sat us early for our reservation! The server, Emily, was prompt with water and our bottle of wine. Belle Glos Pinot noir was delicious and paired well with our entrees, the filet mignon stroganoff and the lamb shank. We started with the west coast poke appetizer, which was a very good sized portion! We were impressed. I remember we even said "this is a very good sized portion!" Finished off with the banana cheesecake and the brownie fudge which was huge, we took some home. Axel is awesome, Emily was great, and Carmelita was warm and inviting! Beach house is top tier!

Unfortunately, we were pretty underwhelmed by this restaurant. It was our 25th anniversary and it…read morewas recommended by the Inn we were staying at. I ordered the broiled oysters with garlic chili oil to start. We also got the Caesar to split. My husband ordered the chicken dish, while I had the crab arancini as my entree. They were busy when we got there, but slowly people started to leave. Our server took awhile to greet us, but we understood. The oysters were so disappointing. The garlic chili oil was drowned out by toasted sesame oil (which I hate) and they were almost inedible. The sesame oil was not listed in the description on the menu, or I would have passed. Hard. Also, whoever shucked the oysters, didn't remove the whole body from the shell ( big no no) so I was fighting with my fork to release them. I worked at an oyster bar for years and shucked my fair share of them. It was hard to cleanse my palate of the sesame oil, because it was so overpowering. The Caesar was fine, nothing to write home about. The crab arancini was the best thing that I had. Really crispy and delicious. My husband was very disappointed with his dish. He is a chef of 30+ years and was excited to try the Demi glacé that was listed on the menu. What came out was chicken broth with so much garlic that it was also overpowering. The menu also said that the carrots and potatoes were roasted, but all of the veg had been boiled. So, everything was the same boiled texture and it was very unpleasant for him. He did let our server know. Our server ( a younger woman - didn't get her name) never asked how the food was. I don't know if she just didn't want to know, or what. She also never refilled my husband's empty water glass and didn't ask if I would like another glass of sparkling wine when she dropped off our entrees, even though my glass was empty, The one nice thing is that they gave us a complimentary coffee/chocolate dessert to celebrate our anniversary. Unfortunately, by this time, we were ready to go. We will not be returning. Fix your menu and make sure the kitchen is preparing food the way it's described.

Alfredo's Pastaria & Mozzarella Bar

Alfredo's Pastaria & Mozzarella Bar

(464 reviews)

$$$

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR... get in your car... make a U-turn on Ocean and LEAVE Carmel. If you want the…read morebest Italian food on the Monterey Peninsula, this is your place. We've been coming here for years and I've never, not once, been disappointed. Everything about Mezzaluna is amazing. Mezzaluna's a fairly small restaurant so I always book a reservation. They have a smallish, but very nice, lounge area if your table isn't ready or you're just showing up for a drink. Their staff is beyond friendly and their bartender knows how to make a cocktail. The prices, in my opinion are very reasonable and the portions are what you'd expect. I RARELY, if ever, take home leftovers but this is one of my few restaurant leftover exceptions. I almost always get Rigatoni alla Buttera and my wife the Al Nero con Vongole but not always. Everything we've ever had on the menu is amazing. All the pasta is made fresh in house, and you can taste it. I've eaten at every Italian restaurant in Carmel, and sure Taylor Swift didn't eat here, but I'm glad she didn't. I want this place to be sucessful but I also want to keep this gem out of the Hollywood spotlight. This place stand on its own without needing that kind of notoriety. Restaurants like this let the food, which is what their, they're for do the talking. A few small notes for those who may not have dined here before: 1) Outside seating is right next to highway 68. So that's not the most "awesome" outdoor dining experience, but it is what it is right, but worth a note. 2) The parking lot can be a bit crowded so depending on the night, plan a little extra time to possibly have a small walk if the lot's full. 3) LOCAL/HACK! They have an awesome wine list (for in house dining or to take home). Their prices are VERY VERY good. BUT, the cool thing is if you bring a bottle of wine, and buy one from them, they will waive the corkage fee for that one bottle.

Mezzaluna has been in operation since 2019. How have a missed this amazing restaurant?! The…read moreinterior is inviting with the dim lighting which gives the place a hipster bistro vibe. Love the wine displays dividing up the seating. Service is great! Our waitress was super kind and courteous. I liked how she gave her opinion on what we ordered. That tells you she's tried everything! The pacing of our food was perfect, giving us time to enjoy our appetizers before our dinner entrees arrived. They also didn't skimp on warm bread and olive tapenade. It was so good! But don't eat too much because their dinner portions are big. We ordered: San Vitor: My beautiful handcrafted pineapple cocktail. Delicious. Smoky. Strong. Clam Chowder: Omg! The presentation was amazing!! The chowder can stand all by itself with its flavor and real clams in shells - but with the bone marrow? Stop!! I die! Polpo Alla Griglia: Cooked perfectly with fantastic flavors. The sauce had kick! The potatoes were cooked well. Honestly, it was difficult to decide what to order for dinner because everything was described so deliciously on the menu. I wanted to try them all. The biggest hit was that their pasta is made in-house and cooked right! We ordered: CAPPELLACCI DI GRANCHIO - Excellent dish! It was a hit according to my hubby. Also recommended by our waitress. Filled with real crab and lots of it. RAVIOLI DI MAIS - simple corn ravioli but so wonderful. The corn filling was sweet yet savory. PAPPARDELLE CON BOLOGNESE DI MAIALE - Fantastic! It's like eating a fancy lasagna with amazing flavors. That burrata on top was so creamy. I had the special which was salmon and mushroom on green pasta. I don't know what it was called exactly but it was fabulous!!! The mushrooms sang, the flavors were well-balanced, and the pasta was cooked to perfection. For dessert, we shared the Flourless Chocolate Cake with a scoop of Pistachio Gelato. I died a second time during this meal. What a fantastic way to end our fabulous meal! I need to return and try more dishes. Seriously. Is it too soon to come back the next day?

Wild Fish - Petrole Sole - not appealing looking

Wild Fish

(824 reviews)

$$$

We had a great dining experience at Wild Fish! The seasonal menu boasts of local and sustainably…read morecaught seafood and they are very sensitive/helpful with dietary restrictions as the owners are both gluten free (have a separate gluten free cooking situation so there is no cross contamination). Our waiter was very knowledgeable and gave great menu suggestions. We ended up with the Tuna Carpaccio, Roasted Artichoke, and Steamed Fish in Coconut Broth. All of it was excellent! The carpaccio was amazingly delicate and the flavors were fantastic. The artichoke was roasted really well and the sauce (dairy free even though it was ranch!) really added to it. The steamed fish was extremely tender and cooked well and the flavors with the lion's mane mushroom and coconut broth were also fantastic. All of the items we ordered were delicious! We had a lovely front window seat facing the outside and it was a great ambience in there. Would recommend and would go back, especially to experience different seasonal items as the year changes and to go on a Friday or Saturday night for live jazz! Great seafood in Pacific Grove here.

I was visiting from the Bay Area was looking for fish and chips. The menu sounded pricey, but good…read more When I called for a take out order, the lady didn't know the menu. They also didn't have items that were on their menu on their website. I went ahead and ordered the fish and chips anyway, and also picked up some popovers. When I picked them up, they smelled amazing. When I opened the box, the fish was super greasy. There is no lemon. The breading of the fish was sticking to the potatoes that were underneath the fish. Good size fish. Not a whole lot of flavor. would've been great if it was not so greasy and added seasoning to the breading at least. Tartar sauce was good. Popovers were dense and didn't have much flavor. I was really looking forward to the lunch so I was pretty bummed. Specially, since I was splurging.

Schooners Monterey

Schooners Monterey

(2.1k reviews)

$$$

We started with the Clam Chowder bread bowl, Brussel Sprouts appetizer, and the Dungeness Crab Dip…read more All 3 were excellent. I love Brussel Sprouts and order it anytime I see it in a menu. This was one of the best I've had. I like that it was more on the shredded side so it could cook evenly. (I hate when places halve the sprouts, but then don't bake it through. These were cooked to perfection here.) The crab dip was amazing...it's the morning after as I'm typing this and my daughter is still raving about the crab dip. We all agreed that it was worthy of the price tag bc there was a good amount of real crab in it. We really enjoyed the taste and texture. We wished there were more of the garlic bread for dipping! We waited for the clam chowder bread bowl to arrive, and tore into it so we could use that to dip! For our meal, we ordered the Harvest Salad, Organic Half Chicken, Honey BBQ Ribs, Wagyu Burger, and took a mandarin coconut sherbet to go. We were all very happy with what we ordered.

I don't know if people still say bomb.com but it's def warranted here…read more It would be a shame to order a burger when in Monterey so I made sure I ordered something from the ocean on the other side of the glass of the seat next to us. I got the Cioppino, wife got the Crab Pasta and the kids got Fish N Chips + Chicken Tenders. I was very surprised to see a generous amount of crab in my soup. At some places, you get a claw and check that box off but not here. In addition to the real crab, there was a few giant shrimp, mussels, clams, fish, and calamari. Man...everything was very fresh and delicious. I would even have to probably say the best I've ever had! The soup was seasoned to perfection and not too tart. My wife's crab pasta was also very good! I shared mine with her and we swapped for a bit just to sample other dishes here. The kids plates were also high quality as expected from this nice restaurant inside the Monterey Plaza Hotel. To make my bday weekend even better I was able to score a spot right in front of the hotel which isn't easy since it was a non-raining Saturday. This is definitely a "come back and eat" place the next time we're in Monterey.

il vecchio - italian - Updated May 2026

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